Peter Sodann
Encyclopedia
Peter Sodann is a German
actor, director and politician. He was the Left Party
's nominee for the 2009 presidential election
, but was not considered a serious candidate by the German media.
to a working-class
family. After training to be a toolmaker
, he moved to Leipzig
in order to study law. In 1959 he transferred to the Theaterhochschule Leipzig (Leipzig University of Theater), where he led a cabaret
group. The group's performance was deemed subversive by the East German authorities and closed in 1961. Sodann was arrested by the Stasi
and spent nine months in prison and was on probation for four years.
. In the following years, he acted and produced plays in Erfurt
, Chemnitz
and Magdeburg
. In 1980, he moved to Halle
and for years worked as a director there.
He began acting in television shows during the late 1970s. In 1991 he first appeared in his most famous screen role, Police Commissioner Bruno Ehrlicher, in the long-running crime series Tatort
. He remained with the series until November 2007. Since 2007 he has starred in a traveling act "Ost-West-Vis-à-Vis" with CDU
politician and former Labor Minister Norbert Blüm
.
. In July 2005 he announced his interest in running as a candidate of the PDS in Saxony for the 2005 federal election
. However, he later withdrew himself from considering, citing restrictions on media employment for Bundestag politicians.
On October 13, 2008, the Left Party's Bundestag delegation nominated Sodann as their candidate for the 2009 presidential election
. As an actor-turned-politician, the German media has compared him (usually as a criticism) to Ronald Reagan
and Arnold Schwarzenegger
. Since the German president is elected by the Bundesversammlung
, in which the vast majority of seats would be held by the Christian Democrats
and Social Democrats
, Sodann stood little chance of winning. Indeed he finished third in the election, in which the incumbent Horst Köhler was re-elected.
"Peter Sodann would be a President for the People" (press release of the Left Party)
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
actor, director and politician. He was the Left Party
The Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
's nominee for the 2009 presidential election
German presidential election, 2009
An indirect presidential election was held in Germany on 23 May 2009. The President of Germany was elected by the Federal Assembly, which is made up of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of members nominated by the state Landtags....
, but was not considered a serious candidate by the German media.
Early life
Sodann was born on June 1, 1936 in MeissenMeissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
to a working-class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
family. After training to be a toolmaker
Tool and die maker
Tool and die makers are workers in the manufacturing industry who make jigs, fixtures, dies, molds, machine tools, cutting tools , gauges, and other tools used in manufacturing processes...
, he moved to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in order to study law. In 1959 he transferred to the Theaterhochschule Leipzig (Leipzig University of Theater), where he led a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
group. The group's performance was deemed subversive by the East German authorities and closed in 1961. Sodann was arrested by the Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
and spent nine months in prison and was on probation for four years.
Acting career
In 1964 Sodann made his first performance with the Berliner EnsembleBerliner Ensemble
The Berliner Ensemble is a German theatre company established by playwright Bertolt Brecht and his wife, Helene Weigel in January 1949 in East Berlin...
. In the following years, he acted and produced plays in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
and Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
. In 1980, he moved to Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
and for years worked as a director there.
He began acting in television shows during the late 1970s. In 1991 he first appeared in his most famous screen role, Police Commissioner Bruno Ehrlicher, in the long-running crime series Tatort
Tatort
Tatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss , crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF 2 in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland...
. He remained with the series until November 2007. Since 2007 he has starred in a traveling act "Ost-West-Vis-à-Vis" with CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
politician and former Labor Minister Norbert Blüm
Norbert Blüm
Norbert Blüm is a German federal legislator from North Rhine-Westphalia, Chairman of the CDU there , and former minister for labor and social affairs ....
.
Political activities
Sodann has been a vocal supporter of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), which in 2007 became the Left PartyThe Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
. In July 2005 he announced his interest in running as a candidate of the PDS in Saxony for the 2005 federal election
German federal election, 2005
German federal elections took place on 18 September 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany. They became necessary after a motion of confidence in Chancellor Gerhard Schröder failed on 1 July...
. However, he later withdrew himself from considering, citing restrictions on media employment for Bundestag politicians.
On October 13, 2008, the Left Party's Bundestag delegation nominated Sodann as their candidate for the 2009 presidential election
German presidential election, 2009
An indirect presidential election was held in Germany on 23 May 2009. The President of Germany was elected by the Federal Assembly, which is made up of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of members nominated by the state Landtags....
. As an actor-turned-politician, the German media has compared him (usually as a criticism) to Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
. Since the German president is elected by the Bundesversammlung
Bundesversammlung (Germany)
The Federal Convention is a special body in the institutional system of Germany, convened solely for the purpose of electing the German Federal President , either every five years or within 30 days of a president's resignation, death or removal from office.The Bundesversammlung includes the entire...
, in which the vast majority of seats would be held by the Christian Democrats
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
and Social Democrats
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
, Sodann stood little chance of winning. Indeed he finished third in the election, in which the incumbent Horst Köhler was re-elected.
Personal life
Sodann is currently married to his second wife, Cornelia. He is the father of four children through his first marriage: Tina, Susanne, Franz and Karl.External links
Official website Peter Sodann at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
"Peter Sodann would be a President for the People" (press release of the Left Party)